IMA Kerala doctors to spend 10 minutes daily on social media to share medical knowledge

In a bid to increase awareness about fake medical news among people, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Kerala has urged doctors to spend at least 10 minutes on social media every day, to pass on authentic medical information to common people.

Speaking about the initiative, Dr. RC Sreekumar, Chairman, Digital, IMA, Kerala said that IMA conducted a "health parliament" in Thiruvananthapuram, in which doctors were asked to be active on social media to share the right medical knowledge to people.

"We have decided to involve more doctors in social media and requested all members of IMA to spend at least 10 minutes on social media in the morning to give right scientific explanations to diseases and advice correct treatment," he said.

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Dr. Sreekumar pointed out that there are several advertisements surfacing online that promise a cure to diseases like cancer and diabetes. He added that fake news concerning pulse polio vaccination was also being shared on social media platforms.

Advice from doctors to counter fake news

An alarming fake message was also shared about children becoming mentally retarded or autistic after administering the pulse polio vaccine. RC Sreekumar said that such fake news can be countered by scientific explanations provided by the doctors to patients.

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The IMA Chairman added that Kerala was supposed to be a completely immunized state, as diseases like poliomyelitis, measles, diphtheria and many others have been eradicated. However, the immunization is not reaching the poor people which is why some hospitals are flooded with measles and polio cases.

RC Sreekumar said people are being misled by social media messages on cancer cure and it needs to be countered immediately.

"In cancer care, if it is detected in the first or second stage of the disease, treatment is easier and there are fewer complications.

But what we see today is the cancer patients reach doctors in their fourth stage after going through unscientific modes of treatment. People are misled by social media messages on cancer cure," he said.

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